Scott Klopfenstein
Scott Klopfenstein is the former trumpeter, backup vocalist, and backup guitarist of Reel Big Fish. Besides Aaron Barrett, Scott is arguably the most well-known member of the band. Klopfenstein joined the band in 1995, following the release of Everything Sucks. After touring for years, he left the band in 2011 to focus on raising his daughters. Scott now primarily focuses on his own project, The Littlest Man Band. 'History with Reel Big Fish' Early Days Scott Klopfenstein joined Reel Big Fish in 1995, after the release of Everything Sucks. One day, while Klopfenstein was at lunch in High School, he saw a group of students playing leapfrog on their campus' quad. Interested, he went over, and discovered that this group of people was lead by Aaron Barrett.https://seniordiscountpodcast.blogspot.com/2019/07/423-q-with-scott-klopfenstein-and.html At the time of Scott's joining, all of Reel Big Fish's horn players had quit. Scott, showing up to the rehearsal, was accepted almost immediately. Klopfenstein's first recording with the band was 1996's extremely successful Turn The Radio Off. Scott contributed his writing, trumpet playing, and vocal talents to the album. Success and Departure After Turn the Radio Off, Scott continued to contribute his talents to Reel Big Fish. He and Barrett became known for their onstage antics, often using awkward humor and funny bits to keep the crowd occupied during songs. He would also take up the role of lead singer on their 2000 cover of Hungry Like the Wolf. Klopfenstein played with Reel Big Fish for 16 years, before discovering that his wife was pregnant in 2011. Knowing that he could not be a father and tour at the same time, Scott officially departed the band in January. His last show was in Perth, Australia on December 7, 2010. "You all are true blessings in my life and I will never forget all that you have done for the band, my bandmates, my family and for me. I will deeply miss watching you all, as you dance, smile, sweat and sing along. Your love and support have always been the fuel that make Reel Big Fish continue to move forward. And when I tell my daughter stories of my time in the band, I will probably become misty eyed, like I am now, when I remember all of your beautiful faces. Please take care of yourselves and those around you. And remember, don’t let your dreams stand waiting in the wings. Invite them center stage. They need to be seen."https://web.archive.org/web/20110117134445/http://www.reel-big-fish.com/farewell-to-scott/ After Departure Scott disappeared from the ska scene after his departure. Over time, however, he began making appearances at Reel Big Fish shows when they came to Brooklyn. The Littlest Man band went dormant for 13 years before coming back in 2018. Scott now livestreams on his YouTube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/user/thelittlestman/videos, albeit infrequently. 'The' Littlest Man Band During his tenure with Reel Big Fish, Scott wrote a multitude of songs that did not fit the band's style. Wanting to perform these songs, Scott began frequenting venues around Southern California, taking on the pseudonym "The Littlest Man." Once his shows began gaining traction, Scott added more members from the Long Beach music scene. The Littlest Man Band released their first LP Better Book Ends in 2004. Scott's "The Littlest Man" pseudonym returned in 2018 with Scott's livestreams. The band has yet to play a reunion show, but one has been heavily implied. Personal Life Scott Klopfenstein was born in Southern California. Early in his life, he lived in Garden Grove and attended Los Alamitos High School, where he met Aaron and joined Reel Big Fish. In 2005, Klopfenstein moved to New York City to live with his fiancée. He married her in 2006; the couple now has two children. Klopfenstein has Guillain–Barré syndrome, a condition in which the immune system attacks the nerves. He was hospitalized for this in 2005, missing several parts of Reel Big Fish's tours. He joined the band's lineup again after he recovered. Stage Equipment Guitars * 1974 Fender Telecaster Custom * White Fender Jazzmaster * Red Fender Stratocaster * Gibson ES-335 Trumpets * Yamaha Bobby Shew Gallery ScottyBlowin.jpg|Scott playing the trumpet ScottyPlayin.jpg|Scott playing the guitar Scottyplayinsomemore.jpg|Scott performing Scotty.jpg|Scott ScottySmilin.jpg|Scott, smiling for a corporate photo ScottySoulin.jpeg|Scott singing Sources Category:Members